Kings terminating Mike Richards contract for material breach [upd: grievance filed]

[Teemu]

Eric Macramalla, legal expert for TSN who is aware of the situation, saying that the incident is likely insufficient for termination. It was indeed an issue at the border.

 

[madhi19]

I don't think this is grounds to say DL is nefarious anyways..

but that article doesn't mean he's clean in this matter.

Maybe those teams were going to be getting something of value from the Kings for taking Richards? Once he heard of this possible mechanism, he decided to screw giving away assets and go for broke?

More likely, he was probably advised that to deceive the Oilers would mean a cancellation of the trade, and compensation.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

So nobody here thinks his border problems could be to the south? That, to me, would seem to be the only border with intrigue.

 

[Jeremy2020]

I can't imagine the League itself would be in favor of this move. It would likely lead to copycats who want to get around the cap.

 

[Faltorvo]

Should be interesting to see how this evolves. LA doesn't have much cap room, so you could see why they're trying to be creative-- if there's nothing the rest of us would consider "material" in nature.

I think I have this already figured out

The cause will fall into the "grey area" of the cba language

LA will lose ,and they probably know they re on shaky legs as it is

the "end game" is how NHL head office will treat the reinstated contract after the fact

MR will get his 2/3rds cash (over time)under the normal terms of a buy out (making the NHLPA happy)

but LA in the interim will spend up to the cap limit before settlement and claim "hard ship" /"we believed " that MRs cap hit was permanently off the books (save for the recapture)

and then lord gary , will use one of his omnipotent powers ( see the NJ rst round pick return) and allow LA to not carry the normal proper cap hit for 10 years.

 

[CJV123]

Most likely, he was denied entry to the U.S., for any one or more of many reasons. The U.S. can deny entry to anyone it chooses, and does not have to "prove" anything. Perhaps Richards got pushy with an agent? [mod]

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The ESPN article was updated with quotes from Chiarelli and confirmation from Treliving.

"He came right over to me," Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed to ESPN.com. "He pulled me aside and said, 'Hey, Pete, this is going to come out. I had no idea. This is important you know so that talks [don't go any] further.'"

Lombardi did the same with Flames GM Brad Treliving on the draft floor, Treliving confirmed.

Not to speculate, but if Lombardi learned of an incident that forced him to end trade discussions with two clubs, then something very serious must have occurred.

I guess we won't find out what it may have been unless this goes to court.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

The ESPN article was updated with quotes from Chiarelli and confirmation from Treliving.



Not to speculate, but if Lombardi learned of an incident that forced him to end trade discussions with two clubs, then something very serious must have occurred.

I guess we won't find out what it may have been unless this goes to court.

Agree that something happened to make him realize he had to halt trade discussions. Remains to be seen how serious it is in the eyes of the appeal process, wherever that goes.

 

[GreatStateofHockey]

Agree that something happened to make him realize he had to halt trade discussions. Remains to be seen how serious it is in the eyes of the appeal process, wherever that goes.

I don't think Lombardi told Chiarelli or Treliving what happened, so he could just be trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill to make it seem like something was up , when really it's a small deal. Either way we will see when the facts come out.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Assuming the PA grieves, (the surest bet in NHL history) does anybody know the actual legal process the dispute would follow? Is it inevitable to end up in front of a neutral arbiter with a binding result? Isn't that how all major PA/league disputes ultimately get resolved?

 

[Guardian17]

Eric Macramalla, legal expert for TSN who is aware of the situation, saying that the incident is likely insufficient for termination. It was indeed an issue at the border.

Interesting to see what will happen when the details emerge.

 

[tsanuri]

I think I have this already figured out

The cause will fall into the "grey area" of the cba language

LA will lose ,and they probably know they re on shaky legs as it is

the "end game" is how NHL head office will treat the reinstated contract after the fact

MR will get his 2/3rds cash (over time)under the normal terms of a buy out (making the NHLPA happy)

but LA in the interim will spend up to the cap limit before settlement and claim "hard ship" /"we believed " that MRs cap hit was permanently off the books (save for the recapture)

and then lord gary , will use one of his omnipotent powers ( see the NJ rst round pick return) and allow LA to not carry the normal proper cap hit for 10 years.

Here's the thing. The Kings don't actually have more cap space avail in the first year by doing this than the buyout. So that is what the fallback probably is. Just doing the buyout and there wouldn't be a cap penalty of any kind because of this. It 1.217M for the buyout and 1.32 for the recapture.

 

[kdb209]

http://www.si.com/nhl/2015/06/29/kings-dodge-buyout-terminate-contract-mike-richards

Granted, there may be a perfectly valid reason for termination. According The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, the Kings used Section 18A-2 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which allows the commissioner authority to impose discipline for off-ice conduct.

"Whenever the Commissioner determines that a Player has violated a League Rule applicable to Players (other than Playing Rules subjecting the Player to potential Supplementary Discipline for On-Ice Conduct), or has been or is guilty of conduct (whether during or outside the playing season) that is detrimental to or against the welfare of the League or the game of hockey, he may discipline such Player in any or all of the following respects:

(a) by expelling or suspending such Player for a definite or indefinite period;
(b) by cancelling any SPC that such Player has with any Member Club

That makes the breach, whatever it might have been, sound fairly ominous. After all, the Kings didn’t choose to terminate Slava Voynov after the defenseman was charged with domestic abuse. They did, however, suspend him. Then again, there could be varying levels of “breach tolerance†that relate directly to the player’s value as an asset. Voynov has some. Richards does not.

Under the CBA, Richards has the right to file a grievance. Not surprisingly, that effort appears to be underway.

 

[madhi19]

They were trying to trade the guy barely four days ago. What the hell could happen that was so bad, but also fail to make the news? Meanwhile Ribeiro is facing rape charge, and the Voynov trial is about to go down. Am I missing anything beside the usual IA V. Glendale? The NHL is having one hell of a Summer that for sure.

 

[tsanuri]

http://www.si.com/nhl/2015/06/29/kings-dodge-buyout-terminate-contract-mike-richards

Not that I trust the source. He is occasionally right. It's very interesting.

 

[NSH615]

They were trying to trade the guy barely four days ago. What the hell could happen that was so bad, but also fail to make the news? Meanwhile Ribeiro is facing rape charge, and the Voynov trial is about to go down. Am I missing anything beside the usual IA V. Glendale? The NHL is having one hell of a Summer that for sure.

Ribeiro is not facing a rape charge. He is being sued, even if he loses, it is just a lawsuit he has lost and not any charges.

 

[tsanuri]

They were trying to trade the guy barely four days ago. What the hell could happen that was so bad, but also fail to make the news? Meanwhile Ribeiro is facing rape charge, and the Voynov trial is about to go down. Am I missing anything beside the usual IA V. Glendale? The NHL is having one hell of a Summer that for sure.

It might not even be something so bad just something that would make it very difficult or impossible to cross the border for a period of time. And in that case he couldn't preform his job.
As to the others that are facing legal troubles one is civil and the other is just being worked through the criminal courts.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/sources-kings-found-out-about-richards-at-draft/

Perhaps a bit more information:

In a brief filed to the NHL and the NHLPA, the team referenced Section 2(e) of the SPC, which states a player agrees “to conduct himself on and off the rink according to the highest standards of honesty, morality, fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Club, the League or professional hockey generally.”
...
Richards, the NHLPA and his agency (Newport), have 60 days to appeal the Kings’ manoeuvre to a neutral arbitrator. There is a mechanism for an expedited hearing, but the timeline is uncertain. In a statement, NHLPA spokesperson Jon Weatherdon said, “We are in the process of reviewing the facts and circumstances of this matter, and will discuss the situation with the player in order to determine the appropriate course of action.”

"Action unbecoming" has been the downfall of many military (resulting in dishonorable discharge).

(Just saying. No idea of what went down.)

 

[Slot]

It might not even be something so bad just something that would make it very difficult or impossible to cross the border for a period of time. And in that case he couldn't preform his job.
As to the others that are facing legal troubles one is civil and the other is just being worked through the criminal courts.

Bob Probert couldn't enter Canada for 2 years after a cocaine bust. Didn't get terminated. This does smack of talent overshadows everything in sports. Ribs and Voynov could be terminated right now for conduct unbecoming and few aside from the PA would bat an eye.

Something doesn't add up and it likely won't until the information vacuum we find ourselves in gest filled with facts

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

It might not even be something so bad just something that would make it very difficult or impossible to cross the border for a period of time. And in that case he couldn't preform his job.
As to the others that are facing legal troubles one is civil and the other is just being worked through the criminal courts.

Why would one be stopped from crossing the border if they have not broken any laws or been charged with anything? That's pie in the sky thinking.

 

[Slot]

Why would one be stopped from crossing the border if they have not broken any laws or been charged with anything? That's pie in the sky thinking.

Not really, you can be barred from crossing borders for all types of fairly arbitrary reasons.

 

[NSH615]

Bob Probert couldn't enter Canada for 2 years after a cocaine bust. Didn't get terminated. This does smack of talent overshadows everything in sports. Ribs and Voynov could be terminated right now for conduct unbecoming and few aside from the PA would bat an eye.

Something doesn't add up and it likely won't until the information vacuum we find ourselves in gest filled with facts

Ribs is an UFA and has no contract so he can't be terminated. Voynov is still in the courts. Should he be found guilty I would think he would be, but until then I think they are waiting to see how the legal system plays out.

 

[tsanuri]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/sources-kings-found-out-about-richards-at-draft/

Perhaps a bit more information:


"Action unbecoming" has been the downfall of many military (resulting in dishonorable discharge).

(Just saying. No idea of what went down.)

Whatever it was it happened almost 10 days prior to the team finding out.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Not really, you can be barred from crossing borders for all types of fairly arbitrary reasons.

You can be stopped on a one time basis for all kinds of reasons. To be permanently banned from crossing is going to take some substance (no pun intended).

 

[stator]

Not really, you can be barred from crossing borders for all types of fairly arbitrary reasons.

For someone coming in on a travel visa, yes. Not someone with, very likely, a green card since it is basically a slam-dunk from an O-1 visa. I'm sure the Flyers' legal staff or whoever handles their immigration did the applications for Richards' green card years ago.